Pope Benedict XVI has laicized three men who formerly were priests assigned to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, each of whom faced accusations they had sexually abused minors or tried to solicit teenagers for sex.

In a statement yesterday, the archdiocese identified the men as Frederick J. Cartier, Louis J. Govoni, and Frederick Guthrie.

The archdiocese said the men had asked to "be removed from the clerical state."

"They may no longer function in any capacity as priests, with the exception of offering absolution to the dying," the archdiocese said.

Cartier, ordained in 1963, was granted a leave of absence in 1979 and has not been connected to the archdiocese for more than 20 years, the statement said. Cartier was accused in 2002 of molesting a 13-year-old while serving at a Woburn parish in the 1970s, according to the website Bishopaccountability.org.

Govoni, ordained in 1972, has not been associated with the archdiocese since 1978, the church said.

Govoni was accused in the 1970s of sexually molesting boys at Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree, but was not publicly linked to the allegations until 2003, when his personnel record was made public.

In 2003, Govoni was working as a substitute teacher in Duxbury and was fired after the abuse allegations became public, according to published reports.

Guthrie was ordained in 1962, left the archdiocese in 2001, and later pleaded guilty in New Hampshire to charges that he used a computer to solicit a minor for sex in the early 2000s.